Ron’s been out for a while now, so it was good to see him back on the bench last week

Ciaran Clark

The Dutch defender, 27, has been out with a calf strain for the last two months and was an unused sub against Southampton last week.

But he has now fully recovered and is set to provide the side with some much-needed steel and experience.

Vlaar is set to replace Nathan ­Baker in Paul Lambert’s starting XI after ­Villa’s kids conceded 22 goals in their last seven matches.

And stand-in captain Ciaran Clark (right) is happy to pass the armband back to Vlaar.

He said: “Ron’s been out for a while now, so it was good to see him back on the bench last week.

“It’s good for the team and squad to see players like that coming back. I’ve enjoyed being captain since Ron got injured and then Gabby Agbonlahor too.

“It’s nice to be captain, but at the minute everyone’s got their role to play and should be a leader out there on the pitch.

“No matter who is captain, we all have to get on with our jobs. We have to stick together as a team.”

Villa are in the drop zone after collecting just one point in their last five matches, while they were also beaten 3-1 at League Two Bradford in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final.

But Clark is sure they will turn the corner – and insists the attacking side of their game is continuing to thrive. He said: “There will be a day when we put three or four past a team. It will turn, it’s got to turn, and hopefully it will come in the next few weeks.

“Obviously, it would be a lot worse if were drawing or losing games and we were not creating chances. You’d be thinking, ‘Where are we ­going to get a goal from?’

“But we are doing the right things and creating chances.

“Once that first one goes in we’ll be away. We are just waiting on that time to happen.

“We just have to concentrate on ourselves and our own performances and make sure we start picking points up.”